Shades of Blue
by PplusAforever
Summary: Annabeth has dealt with loss before, but never a loss this permanent.


Shades of Blue

The blues were a terrible way to describe how she was feeling. It had to be the deepest, darkest blue there was. Annabeth held her knife over her arm. _Had it really come to this?_ She remembered what she told Percy when they were twelve.

 _Please, I'm not one for self-inflicted pain._

Yet, somehow, this time felt different. She inched the blade closer, the Celestial Bronze glowing in the darkness. She continued downward until the tip rested on her skin. She paused, taking a deep, sharp breath. _Oh, gods!_ She threw her knife across the room. She couldn't do it. She buried her head into her palms. This wasn't like her. A single tear found its way to her cheek. It trickled down as she stood. She turned on a lamp, light entering the room, the darkness escaping. She gazed fondly at Percy's old T-shirt she wore. It still had a mustard stain on it from that one picnic incident. The shirt came down right past her butt. She was sure she would look like a college girl if she left the house. Annabeth smiled, but it faded quickly. She trudged towards the bathroom. She splashed water on her face. While she stared at her reflection in the mirror, the doorbell rang. She sighed. She wasn't expecting a visitor. Begrudgingly, she answered it. There stood her mother. Athena, goddess of Wisdom.

"Hello, daughter" Athena answered in her signature unwelcoming style.

"Mom." Annabeth answered without emotion.

Athena looked at her daughter with disdain.

"I see you are keeping up with yourself very well." She spoke.

Annabeth turned her head.

"Did you come here to mock me, mother, or to give me some special advice only a god can give?" Annabeth inquired sarcastically.

"I came to see how my child was doing." Athena glared at the messy home. "These are not living quarters that I am used to see my children living in. Especially not you. It's been two years, Annabeth."

Annabeth shrugged. "What do you care, really?"

Athena stood up to leave.

"All this. For a child of Poseidon. Nothing but a boy" she spat.

Annabeth balled her fists. She growled.

"You've always hated him! Why? Can't you put your fucking difference with Poseidon aside for one moment to even try to see how people feel? Percy was much more than some boy, and you sure as Hades know that, _Mom_." Annabeth's face was red, steaming from anger. She was just getting started. "He saved Olympus twice, he always put others before himself. For the gods' sakes, he turned down immortality just to be with me. _Me_! And you treat him like he's worse than Gaea herself. Like, like, like he's nothing more than just a ragdoll to be tossed about! I loved him, Mother, and he loved me. And he sacrificed himself for me. And he's not coming back. And sure, two years might be a long time for mourning, but he was so much more to me than I could ever explain to you. You will never understand, but I'm not even asking you to. I'm asking for even an ounce of empathy. But you can't even do that!" Annabeth choked up. Athena stared silently at her.

"I have my reasons for hating Poseidon's spawn. I respect Percy for some of the choices he made, but you are correct. I did despise him."

She disappeared into a flash of light, leaving Annabeth to feel worse. Gods just wouldn't ever change. Annabeth fell onto the nearby couch, more tears finding their way to her eyes. She missed him so much. His jet-black hair, sea green eyes, his…his… _Oh gods_ , she had forgotten his smile. She leaped up and ran to her bedroom, grabbing the picture beside her bed. Oh gods, yes. His lopsided grin. He wore it everywhere he went. This picture was her all-time favorite. They stood underneath the Parthenon in Greece. Percy had slipped in the mud, landing on his back. Annabeth had started laughing so hard that she fell beside him. In the picture, she was leaning on his chest, eyes shut from laughing. Percy was looking up at her, smiling lovingly like an idiot. She held the frame close to her heart. The guy they'd asked to take their picture probably thought they were sociopaths.

"I'm sorry, Percy, I won't forget again. I promise."

She took one more glance at the photo before placing back down. Annabeth checked under her pillow and pulled out a ring box. They had found it with Percy's belongings that night. She sighed again, thinking of what could have been. She opened the box and stared at the diamond inside. She refused to wear it. It was too painful. She had lost Percy before, but this ring just reminded her that this time, he wasn't coming back.

SEVEN YEARS LATER

Annabeth walked her daughter across the sand to lonely monument. She held a small package in her left hand, and her daughter's hand in her other. They stopped in front and looked up. This was a two-story tall statue of a horn. A Minotaur horn to be exact. All around the surface, were various symbols, chiseled out perfectly. Annabeth traced the Trident with her hand.

"The greatest man that ever lived is under this," Annabeth stated for her daughter.

Her child looked up.

"Even better than Daddy?"

"Yes, Lily, even better than Daddy."  
Lily gazed in awestruck wonder. Annabeth didn't want to speak badly of her husband, he was great, but she couldn't deny it.

"He must have been pretty great…if he was so great, then why is here out here all by himself next to the ocean?"

"His friends know where to find him" Annabeth replied. "Now run on back to your father. I'll be back in a few minutes. And then, I'll tell you anything you want to know."

She gave Lily a kiss on her cheek before she bounded off. Annabeth slumped down beside the grave.

"Hey, Percy, it's been a while. 9 years, actually…" She trailed off, a lump forming in her throat.

"Anyway, that's my daughter that was just here. God's, she's so much like you. It's almost unbelievable that you're not her father."

Annabeth bit her lip. She hadn't prepared herself. She dug the black box from her pocket.

"I…I brought this back. It's been so hard holding onto this, and it's just as hard to let it go, but….I've gotten remarried, Percy. His name's Mark. He's a great guy." Annabeth laughed. "He's not Percy Jackson, but he's a great guy. I just wanted to let you know, though…"

Annabeth forced her sob down. She opened the package she had brought with her. Her favorite photo. She leaned it against the monument, placing the velvet box in front of it.

"I love you, Percy. I always will. Just keep the ring, okay? Just…just give it back to me when I see you again, how 'bout that?"

She sniffled and stood up.

"I miss you"

She turned and began walking away. Suddenly, a cool, misty breeze picked up, blowing her blonde hair to the left. Just as quickly, it died back down. The saltwater smell seemed to grown stronger. Annabeth looked back one final time and smiled. Her tears flowed freely now. The ring box was gone. And in its place lay a single, blue rose


End file.
